Stardance
by Apolena Soleil
Summary: What would have happened if Rinoa had found Zell to dance with at the SeeD ball instead of Squall? Hmm...


_Stardance_

_By: Apolena Soleil_

A/N: Hello, all! I haven't written anything in over a year, and here's a little one-shot to get me back into the swing of things (hopefully)! I'm sure if I were in an ambitious mood, this would be a _great_ starting point for an FF8 rewrite based on a ZellxRinoa pairing in lieu of SquallxRinoa. Unfortunately, I'm not prepared to take that on with only a month left before I head back to college, so hey - I'll just throw the idea out there for any Zinoa lover who would like to tackle it. Anywhoo, read on and enjoy, regardless of whether or not you're a fan of this particular pairing! Reviews are **ALWAYS **appreciated!

_Do I look all right? Maybe my hair doesn't match my uniform… Tch! If someone had a problem with it, they'd have said somethin' ! _

Zell Dincht was never one to be overly sensitive about his appearance. Of course, like any other self-respecting young man, he showered daily, brushed his hair and teeth, and at the very least made sure his socks matched one another. However, the SeeD ball was truly a test of his confidence. He had spent more time in front of the mirror than usual, combing his spiky hairdo so that it looked as perfect as possible; the style was obviously meant to look unkempt, regardless of any amount of hairspray, gel, or mousse. Every button on his jacket was fastened properly, although it soon dawned upon the poor blonde that the SeeD uniform's first priority was not comfort. As he stood among his peers, every so often he couldn't resist the urge to scratch the random, stray itches that would creep about on his body - especially his back. Zell must have looked awfully funny reaching his arms around to get the elusive itch, seeing as the jacket didn't allow for much free movement, anyway.

Despite the itchiness of his uniform and the slight lack of self-confidence, Zell had been trying his hardest to make the best of the situation, as that was always his forte. He was eyeing Selphie as she pranced around the ballroom, introducing herself to the older SeeDs and generally making a very good impression. Female SeeDs look as if they had lucked out in the uniform department, donning a comfortably short skirt and jacket that certainly didn't look as intricate as the males.

_Damn, guys always get all the luck with these sorta things. Selphie doesn't know how good she has it right now!_

Squall was standing against a wall, a wine glass in hand. Zell had tried talking to him earlier in the evening, but to no avail. His friend was just as aloof and broody as ever, not the festivities, music, or even the wine making him any more accessible. Fortunately, Zell hadn't really expected Squall to act any differently - there was no doubt that he respected the guy, but he at the same time his hopes for him to lighten up weren't very high at all.

Suddenly, the orchestra began to play a bright, lively tune. Zell had suspected that it was a waltz; he didn't know much about music, but Ma did and made sure to educate her son so at least he could make accurate differentiations should the need arise. He watched as the couples began to populate the dance floor, taking part in a quick '1-2-3' sort of step that complemented the music and gave them the appearance of floating on air. Women that were not members of SeeD were wearing long, flowing gowns that were every color of the rainbow. Zell's cerulean eyes had caught one particular girl wearing a pretty, lime colored dress that sparkled with each movement of her body. Never in Balamb had he seen people wear such upscale fashions and he found himself almost entranced by the glitz and glamour. Of course, he wouldn't admit it to his male friends, but the dresses truly were beautiful.

_They all look like a bunch of angels out there._

Out of the corner of his eye, Zell saw Selphie trying to pull a hapless Nida onto the dance floor. She had a fairly decent grip on his arm and was dragging his limp body like a T-Rexaur would drag its prey in the wild. The blonde laughed, but also sighed with a great deal of relief on the inside, thanking the heavens that he hadn't fell victim to any overzealous girl.

Yet.

In spite of himself, Zell decided to do what he always did when he got bored - he shadowboxed. No one seemed to pay any attention to him, so he began to jump absently from toe to toe, punching an unseen enemy. After several minutes went by, he had become so enamored in his little game that he failed to see the girl that was walking up to him.

"Hopefully you're just as light on your toes when you're on the dance floor, eh?"

_What the -?_

Someone **had **been paying attention to him! With a bit of apprehension, Zell turned to face the voice that had addressed him moments ago. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, hazel eyes gazing at him with an almost unnatural kindness. Dark, raven-colored hair hung loosely down to her shoulders, perhaps a little longer. She wore a pale yellow dress that was significantly shorter than most of the other women at the ball, making her stand out. Zell wondered why he never noticed her before. A coy smile had found its way onto her lips.

"Um…" He awkwardly ran his fingers through his unruly hair, ruining whatever work he had put into his style for the duration of the evening. It was obvious that he wasn't prepared to be approached by anyone. "I don't dance much."

"Oh, come on!" The girl playfully hit him in the arm. "If you can do that, one simple dance shouldn't be too hard!"

"I don't know…" Zell had mentally kicked himself. Why couldn't he say anything slightly more intelligent! "It looks kinda like they know what they're doing. I was just having fun watching them."

The girl shrugged and turned to face the dancers. "Well…yeah, I do suppose that they're pretty fun to watch. If you're that couple." She pointed to a pair of uncomfortable looking SeeDs sitting at a table in the corner. They were tracing their fingers around the rims of their glasses, gazing longingly at the action on the dance floor. "Now I _know _you don't want to be them, Mr. Twinkle-Toes-In-Hiding."

"Twinkle Toes?" He inquired, grinning at her name for him. "Tch! That might be pushing it a little bit, y'know!"

"Well, maybe not. You don't know - you're not out there trying!" The girl nudged Zell, catching him off guard and making him tip over slightly. She laughed and grabbed his hand. "One dance?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure -"

"Pleaseeeee?"

"Wouldn't you be embarrassed if I, like…stepped on you?"

The girl shook her head. "Not really - I'll probably step on you first!" She giggled, trying to make him feel at ease. "Come on, now. Don't be scared. You're a big SeeD now!"

Zell raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing this raven-haired, hazel-eyed girl. He could probably go on protesting all night but would never get anywhere with her; she was just as persistent as Selphie, if not more so. There was something different about this one, though, a certain quality that his perky brunette friend seemed to lack. Zell figured that it was due to the fact that at times, Selphie could end up being downright annoying, even though her intentions were always good. While this girl here was persistent, Zell didn't actually mind. As a matter of fact, he found himself enjoying her prodding; deep down, he wanted to go out there and give it a shot.

"Hey, would you look at the stars?" She suddenly whispered, barely audible over the music.

"The stars?" He asked, confused. "You mean…?" The blonde looked up and immediately grasped what she was saying. The stars were beautiful - there was a countless amount of them in the sky, each one shining bright as if they were meant as décor for the ball. He suddenly had a flashback of watching the stars during his childhood in Balamb, laying down just outside town on the plains. "Wow, ain't that somethin'…"

"Hah!" The girl took advantage of his hypnotized state and began to lead him onto the dance floor. "We're going to have ONE dance, even if it kills us!"

"It probably will!" Zell exclaimed. "I kindasorta _can't _do this!"

"Yes, you can!" She grinned. They were smack dab in the center of the floor. Bodies twirled as if Zell and his mystery girl were the center of the universe and all others gravitated around them. One couple almost bumped into them and in a panic Zell subconsciously pressed himself closer to the girl. She giggled, gazing up at him softly. "Here, it's not hard at all. Just put your hand here…" His hand found its way to her waist.

"There isn't any other way?" He blushed slightly.

"No, silly! Here, hurry - it's going to start!"

The orchestra decided to repeat the light waltz that they had just finished playing. Once the music began to pick up, Zell found himself in a tizzy - what was he to do? It seemed as if all the couples were moving in a particular pattern across the floor and they were right in the middle. Could they move out to the sides? Did they have to stay put? Would it be possible for him to just run and hide under the table?

"Uhhh…"

"Just concentrate! One, two, three! One, two three!"

Fortunately, Zell had unknowingly found himself a fairly decent dance teacher. Sure, she wasn't the queen of the waltz, but it was obvious that she knew enough to get by. For the first several bars of music, the martial arts expert was nowhere near mastering dance; he tread all over her feet as if they were part of the floor. She just laughed , at one point having to let go and catch her breath before starting the metronome of steps again. He tried to walk away from her, but accidentally bumped into an older couple that was dancing by; they sent him reeling backwards into the girl's arms.

"I can't do this." Poor Zell admitted. His uniform was itchy, his feet hurt, and his hair was driving him utterly insane.

"One more time. If it doesn't work out, you can go." She said, her eyes pleading with him to stay. "Please? For the stars?"

He looked up again, his bright blue eyes fixated on one particular star. It was shining directly above them, every so often twinkling as if to encourage him. "…all right. One more."

"Great!"

Zell was determined this time. The song was nearing the end now, and he wanted to at least finish on a good note. He put his hand on the girl's waist and glanced up at her. While he found himself watching his feet the entire time, she was staring at him, taking in every facial expression and glint in his azure eyes. For some reason, knowing that she was concentrated on him seemed to help his dancing a little bit more.

"One, two three, one two three, one two three…" They counted simultaneously. Soon enough, their feet were stepping in time with the music. The girl laughed as they joined the circle of couples that were following a path around the floor, waltzing and twirling in time not only with the music, but with one another. It wasn't as hard as Zell had imagined it to be!

_This is definitely easier than fighting a T-Rexaur, that's for sure!_

"It's the end!" The girl cried. With the last crescendo of music, Zell felt bold and decided to place both hands on the girl's waist and lift her gently. She laughed loudly and had both hands on his shoulders as he spun her in a circle before placing her back down on the ground. The music ended, and suddenly everyone stopped like a music box in which the key has stopped turning. "Oh, that was fun! I liked that little bit of improv at the end."

"Thanks." He smiled, nervously staring at his feet and kicking at the floor. "So…am I off the hook?"

"Hmm…" She put a finger to her lips, mocking a deep thought. "I suppose you've proved yourself. For now, anyway."

Zell nodded. "Good! 'Cause I don't think I have that in me to do again."

Her lips curled into a grin. "You never know. Especially when you're under pressure. Anything can happen."

"That's true…" He trailed off. "Hey, I don't even know your name!"

"Yeah, I never told you, did I?" The girl extended a hand to him, which he gladly took. She shook it three times, then let go and began to walk away. "I suppose the world may never know."

"Huh?" Zell stood there, dumbfounded. "Hey, wait a sec!" He tried to go after her, but she soon disappeared among the crowd. "Hey!" It was no use. All of a sudden, Zell began to see numerous girls with yellow dresses and all variations of dark hair, and he was instantly lost. With a dejected sigh, he found his way over to an unoccupied chair and plopped down, resting his face on his palm.

_Tch, go figure. Just my luck.  
…I wonder if I'll ever see her again.  
That'd be nice._

_The girl with the hazel eyes…_

As if he was drawn to it, Zell lifted his head to stare at the velvet night sky. He knew that he'd remember the stardance that he shared with the hazel-eyed girl for a long, long time. And deep down, he had an inkling that he would once more cross paths with her.


End file.
